On course for summer

Awali Golf Club, with its famous bounce and slick ‘browns’, has wrapped up its most successful season to date and has voted in its new committee as it aims to tee off the 2018-19 term in style.

Honorary President Mark Hodgkinson chaired the meeting of 46 members as the previous year was celebrated and the groundwork was laid for coming events.

The 2017-18 season saw 31 competitions with 2,642 rounds of golf played, and BD30,000 worth of prizes were presented thanks to ‘generous sponsorship’. It also saw a 68-year age gap between the oldest competition winner, Pete Rogers, 80, and the youngest, Lee McIlear, 12.

Outgoing Captain, Paul Anderson, had a few words of gratitude to say at the event. He said: “I’d like to thank all of those members who have served on the committee and others who have helped in the running of the golf club and supported me during the year.

“A special ‘thank you’ goes to the ‘dinner ladies’ for keeping everyone fed, Onny Martin for all of his efforts with the website and weekly photographs, Derek Hutchinson for keeping the club up to date with the rules and the entire lounge staff.

“Les Young deserves a special mention for his contribution as treasurer for the last seven years, and he will be missed in the role, as does Rory Young our new PGA professional who has been instrumental in getting the Junior Golf Programme as well as Driving Range events up and running.”

The out-going captain also paid tribute to all of the sponsors, as without their continuing support the club would not be able to run the season’s competitions. His Majesty King Hamad and members of the Royal Court received a special mention for the KFOG week-long event, as did BAPCO, the Kanoo Group, African and Eastern, Airmech, Nass and Audi.

Afterwards, the new committee was voted in and the newly-elected president, Petri Kettunen, closed the meeting.

Golf will continue to be played during the summer months with various societies braving the rising temperatures, and there are also competitions running. Last week saw the start of the Inofas Summer Series, Stapleford Competitions played on Friday afternoons and there is a Single Strokeplay competition for two weeks on July 27 and August 3.

New AGC committee line-up:

Honorary President: Petri Kettunen

Captain: Serwin Rampersad

Vice-Captain: Mark Hodgkinson

Secretary: Liz Laila

Treasurer: Paul Anderson

Equipment: Colin Drysdale

H&C: Rashid Al Qatari, Susan Scott and David Loney

Course: Ali Musbah

House: Peter Hughes

Sponsorship: Ateeq Majali

Social: Farooq Ahmed

Publicity: Phil Morrison